Jim Ingraham: For the Browns, a win, not style points, matters

Capping a triumphant offensive exhibition in which they punted in each of their last nine possessions of the game, Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden kneed his way to victory Sunday by taking one in the last three plays of the team's electrifying 7-6 win over the can-we-go-back-to-California-now? San Diego Chargers.

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Hey, a win's a win. Style points don't matter.

That's good, because this one had all the style of a tractor pull.

In Jimmy Haslam's first home game as owner the Browns outscored the Chargers, 7-0, in the first quarter and the Chargers out-scored the Browns, 6-0, in the last three quarters.

The wind blew and sheets of rain fell in all four quarters.

"We had to get eight points, and we couldn't do it," said San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers.

"I just told myself, 'Don't be a moron and screw something up when we have a chance to win,' " said Weeden.

At kickoff the temperature was 44 degrees, with a 19-mph wind that translated into a wind-chill factor of 36 degrees -- and both team's quarterbacks' numbers proved it.

Weeden, the old baseball pitcher, said the weather forced him to throw some palm balls, and he had to "shot put" some others. He only completed 11 of his 27 heaves, and posted a paltry quarterback rating of 55.9.

"My numbers weren't pretty, but I couldn't care less, as long as we got the win," he said.

Because a win's a win.

The Browns ought to know -- they've only got two.

Your gut tells you all a win does in this kind of rebuilding, re-ownering, seat-of-the-pants type of just-get-it-over-with season is hurt the Browns' draft position for next year's college lottery.

On the other hand, the fans who showed up for Sunday's frosty sloshfest deserve something.

The stadium was barely half filled for most of the game -- and with good reason. There are better ways to spend a Sunday afternoon than watching a 1-6 football team in 1-6 weather.

It was the kind of day that demanded a running game, but with the Browns' top running back battling a case of sore ribs, and the Chargers being No. 1 in the league in rushing defense, the chances of the Browns having a big day on the ground seemed about as good as the fans in the stands getting sun burned.

So naturally the Browns won with some Trentch Warfare.

In his biggest day as a pro, Trent Richardson ran 24 times for 122 yards, which put his yards per-carry average of 5.1 up there in Jim Brown territory.

"He was the spark that we needed, and we were able to run on a very good defense," said Weeden.

Ribs? What ribs?

"They were way better this week," said Richardson. "The pain was way better."

Either that or his ribs were just numb.

"I'm still thawing out," said Richardson after the game. "The guys were telling me, 'This isn't cold,' and I looked at the temperature and said, 'Are you sure this isn't cold?' "

Richardson scored the only touchdown of the game on a 26-yard charge through the guts of the Chargers' defense.

The Chargers, who were outscored, 35-0, in the second half of their previous game vs. Denver, haven't scored a touchdown in their last six quarters. For much of Sunday's game the Chargers offense didn't look like it wanted to even be in Cleveland, much less being asked to score eight points.

Even with that, however, San Diego still outgained the Browns in total yardage, 265-250.

But a win's a win, and a defense that anchors it is a defense that anchors it -- the Chargers were held to two field goals.

"Our defense won us that football game," said Weeden. "They played their tails off."

For most of the day it was boring, leather helmet-era smash mouth football, played on a cold and rainy and windy day between two going-nowhere teams in a half-filled stadium.

"Those were less than perfect conditions for throwing and kicking the football. So we knew it would be a close-to-the-vest game," said Browns coach Pat Shurmur, who even on the best of days if he coached any closer to his vest he'd be married to it.

"Before the game," said Shurmur, "I told the guys, 'Let's go out for three hours and play like a bunch of kids playing in the rain.' "